To operate any business, a number of functions must be performed either manually or by a machine. In many cases, these functions can be automated in a computing environment developed from existing products or physical applications, such as commercially-available software.
A business attempts to match its functional requirements to the functions performed by existing physical applications. In particular, a business develops computing environments from existing physical applications which were designed to perform certain functions. Often the business selects physical applications and operates in accordance with the functions performed by the selected physical applications, even though these functions are not necessarily the same as the functions actually required in the business operation. Without a clear understanding of business requirements and existing physical applications, the functions provided by the selected physical applications may overlap, thereby introducing unnecessary redundancy and complexity in the computing environment. Also, businesses may fail to identify and automate many functions because the appropriate physical applications were not selected.